Simley's Jake Short was approached by a young wrestling fan late Saturday, March 2, and was asked for an autograph. The nation's top-ranked 152-pounder momentarily was stunned before signing the young fan's headgear.

"It's humbling and an honor to be looked up to by young guys like that,'' the senior said.

The fan will want to hang onto that piece of equipment as a reminder of one of Minnesota's all-time elite wrestlers.

Short, a University of Minnesota recruit and a third-generation member of Minnesota's First Family of Wrestling, completed his prep career by winning his fourth individual championship with a quick pin of Tri-City/Cleveland's Josh Selly in the title match.

Afterward, he didn't whoop it up. He kept his emotions in check amid a standing ovation.

"It was really nice that people stood up for me,'' he said. "That was really nice. It is so appreciated. It means a lot.''

Short said he also was grappling with heartbreak for his cousin Mack, who lost in quadruple overtime one match before his in the 145-pound title bout. Mitchell Hartwig of Glencoe-Silver Lake recorded a 3-2 victory when he was able to ride Mack Short out in the fourth overtime.

"I will tell him to forget about it,'' Jake Short said. "He has come so far this season. His accomplishments far outweigh this.''

Short will step away from wrestling after the Dapper Dan all-star match this month in Pittsburgh. He plans to focus on tennis this spring in hopes of qualifying for the state tournament in June.

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-- Nick Wanzek, Short's teammate now and a future teammate with the Gophers, won his third championship, claiming the 170-pound crown with a 10-4 victory over Mora's Codie LaFromboise.

-- Kasson-Mantorville heavyweight Sam Stoll added an individual title to the team championship he won Thursday after a quick pin of South St. Paul's Preston Woods in the title match. Woods was impressive in advancing to the final with a 3-2 victory over Evan Bain of Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson in four overtimes.

-- Totino-Grace's Joe Schiller, the state champion at 220 last season, bounced back after a semifinal loss earlier Saturday to take fifth place with an 8-3 victory over Hutchinson's Jake Filk. Schiller, who helped power the Eagles to the Class 5A football championship last fall, has signed to play at Augustana (S.D.).

His teammate Lance Benick won the 195-pound championship with a 2-1 triple-overtime victory over Kasson-Mantorville's Broc Berge in one of the most tense battles of the final round. Benick punctuated his victory with a double backflip.

-- Jarred Oftedahl of Benilde-St. Margaret's flipped out after his 8-6 victory over Abbott Aho of Fergus Falls in the 113-pound championship match. After defeating the previously undefeated Aho, the senior did a cartwheel and a backflip to celebrate.

-- Kasson-Mantorville's Nate Thomas spoiled a championship repeat by Simley's Juan Torres with a 3-2 victory at 126. Torres won the weight class last year.

Class A

Adam Cooling of Madelia/Truman/Martin Luther finished the season undefeated (44-0) with a 2-1 victory over Jordon Rothers of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg for the 160-pound championship. He won at 145 last year and had an 85-2 record the past two seasons.

-- Larry Bomstad of Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, who was runner-up to Cooling last year, won his own title this season after a 4-2 victory over Jackson County Central's Paden Moore at 145.

-- Darick Vancura, who led JCC to its fourth team championship Thursday, was a repeat individual champion with a 5-2 victory over Niko Anderson of Fillmore Central/Lanesboro in the 170-pound title match. Vancura, who won at 160 last year, also is a standout on the Huskies' football team that played in the Class 2A semifinals last fall.